SAFETY REVIEW OF WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY (WMATA) METRORAIL OPERATIONS

Transcription

1 U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Agency FTA-MA DOT-VNTSC-FTA-97-6 SAFETY REVIEW OF WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY (WMATA) METRORAIL OPERATIONS U.S. Department of Transportation Research and Special Programs Administration John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center Cambridge, MA September 1997 Final Report PDF Edition April 1999

2 NOTICE This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. NOTICE The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers' names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the objective of this report.

3

4

5 PREFACE A recent series of accidents and incidents at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) have raised concerns about the Authority's commitment to safety as its top priority. In January 1996, a train operator was killed at an end-of-the-line station when his train slid on icy tracks into parked railcars. There have also been incidents of tower supervisors misdirecting trains in yards, including an incident in which a supervisor directed a train to pass a red (stop) signal. In April 1996, WMATA disconnected the operating mechanisms for the mid-car emergency doors on approximately 100 rail cars without informing the public. The doors were disabled to allow electrical repairs to be made gradually over a two-day period without removing cars from service. Later that month, two workers were injured when their tools made contact with a live electrical cable that should have been deactivated while tracks were being repaired. On May 10, 1996, a delayed response to a fire put both firefighters and passengers at risk. This document presents a review of safety and operational issues at WMATA. It is being performed under the auspices of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Interactive Elements gratefully acknowledges the assistance, guidance, and comments of Jerry A. Fisher of the FTA's Office of Safety and Security, and the guidance provided by William T. Hathaway of the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center). We are indebted to the management and staff of WMATA without whose cooperation this review could not have been completed. The findings and recommendations provided herein are intended as guidance for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). They have been prepared pursuant to Contract Number DTRS57-97-P by Interactive Elements. In no event shall the FTA or Interactive Elements have any responsibility for any consequences of the use, misuse, inability to use, or reliance upon the information contained in this document; nor do they warrant the accuracy, efficacy, or applicability of its contents. iii

6 iv

7 CONTENTS Executive Summary ix I. Introduction 1 Scope of the Review 1 Methodology 2 Relationship of this Review to Other Studies 3 Organization of the Report 4 II. Summary of Conditions at WMATA at he Time of the Shady Grove Accident 5 A Brief History and System Description 5 SHIFTS IN MANAGERIAL STAFF AND FOCUS The Role of Safety in Rail Transit Organization 6 Safety at WMATA 7 REPORTING STRUCTURE STAFFING AND RESPONSIBILITIES PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS The Corporate Culture at WMATA 12 ABSENCE OF RAIL OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERIENCE LACK OF COMMITMENT AND UNDERSTANDING OF SYSTEM SAFETY A FAILURE OF CHECKS AND BALANCES THE CURRENT CORPORATE CULTURE III. Intelligence: Knowledge Base, Sources of Information, and Training 15 The Knowledge Base 15 Sources of Information 22 Training and Preparedness 29 IV. Command, Communication, and Control 41 V. Deployment: Resources and Their Organization 51 VI. Critical Technical Issues 57 Station Overruns 57 Flat Wheels 58 ATP Wayside/Car Interface 60 Performance Indicators 63 Organizational Structure and Safety 64 APPENDICES Appendix A: Documents Examined v

8 TABLES Table 1. Safety Function in WMATA Organization 8 Table 2. Shortcomings in Safety and System Safety at WMATA 11 vi

9 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AGM APTA ATO ATP ATS ATU CIP DECO DGM FTA MARS NTSB OCC QA SSPP WMATA Assistant General Manager American Public Transit Association automatic train operation automatic train protection automatic train supervision Amalgamated Transit Union Capital Improvement Program Design and Construction Department Deputy General Manager Federal Transit Administration Maintenance and Reliability System National Transportation Safety Board Operations Control Center Quality Assurance System Safety Program Plan Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority vii

10

11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A recent series of accidents and incidents at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) have raised concerns about the Authority's commitment to safety as its top priority. In January 1996, a train operator was killed at an end-of-the-line station when his train slid on icy tracks into parked railcars. There have also been incidents of tower supervisors misdirecting trains in yards, including an incident in which a supervisor directed a train to pass a red (stop) signal. In April 1996, WMATA disconnected the operating mechanisms for the mid-car emergency doors on approximately 100 rail cars without informing the public. The doors were disabled to allow electrical repairs to be made gradually over a two-day period without removing cars from service. Later that month, two workers were injured when their tools made contact with a live electrical cable that should have been deactivated while tracks were being repaired. On May 10, 1996, a delayed response to a fire put both firefighters and passengers at risk. This document presents a review of safety and operational issues at WMATA. It is being performed under the auspices of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). SYSTEM SAFETY IN RAIL TRANSIT ORGANIZATIONS Safety has long been identified as one of the highest priorities of railroads and rail transit agencies. In the last decade, safety has been increasingly based on the formal disciplines that constitute system safety, utilizing the four elements identified in "System Safety Program Requirements" (MIL-STD-882C, Department of Defense, 1993): a planned approach to system safety program tasks qualified personnel to accomplish the tasks authority to implement the tasks through all levels of management appropriate financial and personnel resources to accomplish the tasks ix

12 SAFETY AT WMATA WMATA has not kept abreast of these developments. Its safety efforts have been weakened by: frequent changes in reporting level of the Safety Department; staff and budget reductions; a de-emphasis of safety awareness in public and corporate communications. The Safety Department was moved from place to place in the WMATA organization, making its work difficult, its priorities uncertain, and its status at the agency marginal. This review found little evidence of the Department's participation in decision making (as required by WMATA's own System Safety Program Plan), conduct of safety audits or reviews, or implementation of public or employee safety awareness programs. From 1992 to 1996, the Safety Department staff was reduced from '17 to 12 positions. But at the time this review began, only 8 of the 12 positions were filled. Furthermore, as a result of the Department's movement through the organization, the Department became responsible for other functions, further reducing its ability to meet its safety responsibilities. These limitations are reflected in, among others, the absence of strong public and employee safety awareness programs. WMATA'S CORPORATE CULTURE The effectiveness of WMATA's safety programs has been limited by what might be called the agency's corporate culture. The areas of primary concern are: the lack of rail transit perspective throughout the organization the lack of understanding of system safety concepts and responsibilities at all levels of the agency the absence of an effective system of checks and balances to identify and correct problems These attitudes and problems have a long history. As early as 1985, one study 1 identified beliefs that "task completion is more important than task quality," resulting in, among others, incomplete preventive and corrective maintenance. It also found that middle managers were uncertain as to their responsibilities and authority. 1 Quality Assurance Program Development Project Phas 1 Report Review & Evaluation of Rail Dervices, Booz-Allen & Hamilton, Inc., March x

13 This culture has permeated the agency, and limits initiative and effective action. Its correction is a long-term effort that will require continuous attention. WMATA's Board has taken important first steps to change the situation. A new General Manager has been hired and he, in turn, has selected experienced rail transit professionals for the positions of Deputy General Manager for Operations and Chief Safety Officer. The General Manager has instituted a review of the safety function and a complete revision of the agency's System Safety Program Plan (SSPP), which, at the time of this writing, he has piloted through approval. The new Plan includes detailed protocols for the identification and assessment of hazards. In addition, it increases the staff of the Safety Department to 16 positions in 1998 and 19 in General Summary of Conclusions As the second largest rail transit system in the country and operating in the nation's capitol, WMATA has a special safety burden. By some measures, it has appeared to carry that burden well, with only two fatalities in its more than 20 years of operation. As documented in its findings, however, this review found serious deficiencies in safetyrelated operating practices at WMATA. These practices reflect policies and procedures in place before the arrival of the current management team in the early fall of The findings are divided into three categories: Intelligence: Knowledge Base, Sources of Information, and Training Command, Communication, and Control Deployment: Resources and Their Organization In the body of the report, the findings are set in appropriate contexts followed by the supporting evidence. INTELLIGENCE: KNOWLEDGE BASE, SOURCES OF INFORMATION, AND TRAINING In the context of this report, intelligence is used to mean the gathering and integration of information into the cumulative operational knowledge of WMATA. Under this heading, this review made 18 findings with respect to the status of WMATA at the time of the Shady Grove accident. Most important among them is a lack of rail xi

14 operations perspective at WMATA. This leads, in turn, to deficiencies in the use of readily available information that should be applied to the identification of safety concerns and their resolution. Proper performance indicators are not maintained; outside analyses and reviews are not effectively utilized; problems are not investigated to sufficient depth; and the principles of system safety are not generally practiced. COMMAND, COMMUNICATION, AND CONTROL As a complex organization, the Rail Operations Department of WMATA requires orderly mechanisms to gather information to and from line personnel and to issue instructions to those personnel. Implied in these functions are accuracy of the information and its validation, timeliness and coherence of both the information and the instructions, and effectiveness of the instructions. The seven findings in this category identify deficiencies in the communication of this information. They confirm conditions identified more than a decade ago by an external consultant who found confusion in middle management regarding authority, responsibility, and chain of command. In addition, the authority of written rules was found to have been undermined by managers who intimidated subordinates and discouraged initiative throughout the organization. DEPLOYMENT: RESOURCES AND THEIR ORGANIZATION WMATA, as organized at the commencement of this study, used one of several structures that have been successful in similar multi-modal agencies. The Safety Department has recently been made a direct report of the General Manager, and so the organizational structure, if properly staffed, is suitable to the agency's mission. However, not all positions are filled, and the credentials of some management staff did not match their job descriptions. xii

15 Challenges and Opportunities Facing New Management The new management team must now act aggressively to overcome entrenched attitudes and behavior. Among the most important challenges the team faces are: the integration of the discipline of system safety into the culture of the agency the development of formal procedures for the inclusion of system safety in planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance activities the identification of performance indicators that best characterize the rail system and the development and implementation of techniques to monitor them increased reliance on analysis-based decision making the development and implementation of a comprehensive emergency preparedness program, including training, simulations, and audit, and involvement of relevant outside agencies the development of mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of recommendations and policies the assurance that the Safety Department has the resources and authority to accomplish its mission. xiii

16

17 I. INTRODUCTION It is a well-established practice in rail transit operations that incidents and accidents be subjected to detailed analysis to provide clues to avoiding their recurrence and to identifying and curing any other potential weaknesses that may have surfaced. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), under 49 U.S.C. Section 5327(c)(3) of its authority, has initiated this review of safety issues at WMATA, under the direction of its Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center). The Volpe Center, in turn, contracted with Interactive Elements, Inc. to assist in the performance of the review. Scope of the Review In recent years, a number of FTA-sponsored studies have elaborated the subject areas that constitute a comprehensive safety review, including the following nine elements: Management commitment to and support of safety Safety in transportation operations and safety impacts of transportation policies and Practices Existence, completeness, and quality of the System Safety Program Plan Training for safety Safety in maintenance operations and safety impacts of maintenance policies and practices Safety of physical systems, including role of safety concerns in capital programs Transit security Extent and quality of emergency preparedness Substance abuse programs 1

18 In recognition of other reviews in progress or recently completed, and to focus on areas of special concern to the FTA, this investigation emphasizes four key areas of WMATA's Metrorail system. 1. The development and dissemination of safety polices and procedures, including: communication of safety information and policies to all levels of the transportation department safety-related decision making especially as it affects and is affected by operating policies and procedures involvement of safety in Capital Improvement Program (CIP) decision making role of transit operations in initiating and conducting accident and incident investigations utilization of operating data and statistics in safety planning and in the development of safety policies and procedures variations between written procedures and actual practice 2. The allocation of budget and other resources for the accomplishment of safety policies and procedures 3. Safety-related training (for all levels of the organization) 4. Emergency simulations and drills frequency and quality requirements for attendance by internal personnel participation of external agencies post-exercise evaluation and follow-up Methodology Policies and practices relating to and affecting safety operation were reviewed using the seven-part paradigm that was developed by Interactive Elements for a previous FTAsponsored safety investigation: Does a safety policy exist? Is it adequate? Is it communicated effectively? Is it budgeted for? 2

19 Is it implemented? Is its implementation effective? Is it monitored (checked, validated, and revised as necessary)? The resulting report is based on information gathered at WMATA through three channels: a review of written policies, procedures, and memoranda supplied by the agency analyses of safety records and reports site visits and interviews with selected personnel throughout the agency Throughout the course of the review, the Project Team depended upon WMATA to furnish written materials and to make selected individuals available for interview. Relationship of this Review to Other Studies As a result of the Shady Grove accident, several investigations, both internal and external, were initiated. These include: a WMATA internal review of the safety organization completed in June, 1996 the NTSB's Shady Grove Investigation, October 29, 1996 a WMATA internal report, "Collision of Train No. 111 at Shady Grove Station on January 6, 1996," October 17, 1996 In addition, as discussed in the body of this report, WMATA has been the subject of other safety-related investigations, audits, and reviews over the course of its history. While it is beyond the scope of this study to confirm independently the results of these other investigations, many of their most important conclusions were found to be accurate. This review team was troubled to find that many of the recommendations of earlier studies were not implemented, or if implemented, were not effective in solving the problems they were intended to solve. Furthermore, where scorecards were maintained on the status of past recommendations, such as in the NTSB report of a 1982 fatal accident, many recommendations including those marked by the NTSB as "Closed- Acceptable Action" were found not to be currently in place. This important issue is discussed in detail in Section III. 3

20 Two other initiatives are in progress in parallel with this review: ICF Kaiser Engineers - this firm is providing an assessment of the system safety function, assisting WMATA with the revision of its System Safety Program Plan, and aiding in the selection of a new Director of System Safety Boot-Alien & Hamilton - Boot-Alien is conducting a management and organization assessment study to improve agency performance To the extent consistent with its scope of work, the present review attempts to identify the reasons for WMATA's failure to adopt, implement, and effectively execute previous recommendations related to safety. Organization of the Report During the course of the review and the development of findings, it became clear that the conclusions could best be presented coherently and effectively under three general categories: Intelligence: Knowledge Base, Sources of Information, and Training Command, Communication, and Control Deployment: Resources and Their Organization Within these categories, the individual findings are presented in italics, followed, where appropriate, by a discussion of the issues and the underlying evidence that supports them. Suggestions as to possible remedies are included in some cases. These are not intended to restrict WMATA's range of actions in any way but rather to assist the agency in formulating its own plans. This report begins with a discussion of the historical and corporate cultural conditions at WMATA at the time of the Shady Grove accident. It then presents its findings, divided among the three categories above. Where findings and evidence are applicable to more than one of the above categories, they are presented again in the context appropriate to that category. The major technical issues are revisited in Section VI (Critical Technical Issues). 4

21 II. SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS AT WMATA AT THE TIME OF THE SHADY GROVE ACCIDENT A Brief History and System Description The planning of a public transportation system to serve the Washington metropolitan area began in the early 1950s, with the passage of the National Capital Planning Act. During the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations plans were developed for a regional transportation system that included a rapid rail system, commuter rail service, and express bus service. Finally, on November 6, 1966, after fourteen years of planning and deliberation, President Lyndon Johnson signed a bill creating the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). WMATA is governed by an appointed twelve-person Board of Directors comprised of six voting members and six alternates. The members represent Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The board has responsibility for all policy issues concerning operations, construction, and administration. It may also formulate regulations affecting the safety of passengers, employees, and the general public. The WMATA rail system, "Metrorail," has 92.8 miles of track (subway, elevated, and surface) and 76 stations. Its rail car fleet consists of 292 cars built by the Rohr Corporation and 466 built by Breda. The cars are 75 feet long and 'ID feet wide, function in married pairs, and run in trains up to eight cars long. WMATA has a state-of-the-art train control system that regulates train speed and spacing, starts and stops trains, opens doors, and monitors train performance. Under normal operation, the train operator does not run the train, although he or she can override the automatic system, and operate manually following written procedures. SHIFTS IN MANAGERIAL STAFF AND FOCUS Since its inception in 1967, WMATA has had seven General Managers and three interim General Managers. While there was some longevity in the early years, there have been three General Managers and one interim since

22 The focus for the early General Managers was building the rail system. In 1973, however, WMATA acquired the region's four bus carriers. As a result, a major part of its mission was diverted to the operation of a bus system. WMATA became, de facto, two agencies: one concerned with rail building and the other with running buses. This division of priorities, created in 1973, further complicated by the opening of the rail system, can still be seen in the present-day organization. The second wave of General Managers, by background and priorities, focused their attention on financial issues, in particular securing funding for the construction of the balance of the rail system. It was not until 1992 that WMATA hired a General Manager with rail operating experience. Throughout its first twenty-five years, the WMATA organization grew largely from within its own ranks. Most of the General Managers did not reorganize the management structure or reporting lines, nor did they bring in new staff. In general, people were promoted from within the organization. In mature organizations, this is a laudable approach and generally fosters good agency morale. In the case of WMATA, however, it had the effect of creating and sustaining a void: few, if any personnel were brought into the system with rail operating, rail engineering, or rail safety experience. As a result, there was a minimal tradition of rail operations culture and knowledge at the agency. In addition, as General Managers changed, so did priorities, and, at times, this led to safety's importance being reduced. The Role of Safety in Rail Transit Organizations Transit agencies commonly state that their goal is to transport their customers safely, securely, and dependably in a cost-effective manner. Indeed, many railroad books of operating rules traditionally state that "Safety is of the first importance in the discharge of duties." Safety encompasses all aspects of a transit system's functions, from planning to design to construction to operations. It should be a common theme permeating the organization, and affecting every individual working there. Thus, the safety program should be supported by all of the organizational elements of the transit agency. System safety is a management and engineering discipline developed to formalize efforts to achieve safer system operation. Originating in the defense and space industries, system safety has evolved to assist a variety of organizations in the costeffective assurance of safe systems. 6

23 In the widely used "System Safety Program Requirements" (MIL-STD-882C, Department of Defense, 1993), four elements of an effective System Safety Program are identified: a planned approach to system safety program tasks qualified personnel to accomplish the tasks authority to implement the tasks through all levels of management appropriate financial and personnel resources to accomplish the tasks The system safety concept, therefore, becomes a strategy for managing safety as it applies to selection, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of all the systems and subsystems that comprise the total transit system. Through the use of a formal, planned approach to safety, agencies adhering to system safety concepts can identify and resolve hazards early, respond to emergencies in an orderly way, anticipate the safety impact of capital programs and changes in operations, and maintain safe operation in the face of turnover of key personnel. Safety at WMATA While the scope of this review did not include an in-depth examination of the WMATA Safety Department's organization, staffing, or functions, some general comments on the safety organization will set a useful context for an understanding of conditions at WMATA at the time of the Shady Grove accident. It will also provide a basis for discussions of steps for restoring WMATA's safety programs to the exemplary role they must provide. Two other reviews of safety organization have already been conducted: an internal study performed after the Shady Grove accident (January 6, 1996), that resulted in a report to the General Manager on June 28, 1996; and an external assessment of the safety organization by ICF Kaiser Engineers for the new General Manager. There are three mechanisms by which safety's stature has been undermined during WMATA's recent history: by frequent changes in reporting structure through staff and budget reductions by de-emphasis of safety awareness in public and corporate communications. 7

24 REPORTING STRUCTURE The visibility of the Safety Department at WMATA has fluctuated under the leadership of various General Managers, playing a primary role under some managers and a secondary one under others. Yet, the overall impression gleaned from interviews conducted indicates that the critical roles that safety and system safety should play in a rail transit system were generally not understood by top management. Despite this, as shown in Table 1, there were periods in the history of WMATA during which safety was elevated to an appropriate position within the organization. Table 1. Safety Function in WMATA Organization from: An Organizational Review of Safety Management at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, June 28, Fiscal Year Safety Organization Reporting 1984, 1985 Branch within Office of Transit Engineering and Safety, reporting to Assistant General Manager (AGM), Transit Operations 1986, 1987, 1988, Branch within Office of the General Manager, reporting to 1989 General Manager 1990, 1991, 1992 Independent Office, reporting to the General Manager 1992, 1993, 1994, Branch within Office of Safety and Risk Management, 1995, 1996 reporting to AGM, Finance 1996 Independent Office, reporting to Deputy General Manager, Administration 8

25 Throughout the transit industry, many agencies have been steadily moving the safety function up to report to the general manager or president. This reporting level has several benefits: it clearly emphasizes the importance of safety within the entire organization; it assures independence; and it provides the department with access to the highest level of management. As shown in Table 1, the department was relegated to a branch in Transit Engineering in the mid-eighties. This organization failed to recognize the operational aspects of safety. The situation was rectified in 1986, with a satisfactory reporting structure that remained in place until Thereafter, the department again moved lower into the organization. During several periods, it was under the Assistant General Manager (AGM) for Finance. Such placement puts the department directly in a position for potential conflicts of interest, since as the agency's advocate for safety, the department must initially be free to present its views independent of cost considerations. The Department's 1996 move to a position under the Deputy General Manager (DGM) for Administration made its lines to its prime responsibility-safe transit operations--long and convoluted. The presence of the department three levels removed from the General Manager also sent a significant and unsatisfactory message--that safety was not a genuine priority. The present General Manager, in concert with his overall rehabilitation of the safety function, has restored the department to one of his direct reports. Other activities in the rehabilitation of the Safety Department include hiring a new Director of Safety and a thorough revision of the agency's System Safety Program Plan. STAFFING AND RESPONSIBILITIES At the time of this review, the Safety Department had a total of twelve staff positions ( a loss of five positions since 1992), although only eight positions were filled. During the past thirteen years, the department has merged with several other departments: in 1986, it merged with Fire Protection and Safety and System Assurance, and in 1993, it then was joined with Risk Management. As a result of the merger with Risk Management, the Safety Director's time, resources, and energies were split between two functions: safety and claims. Perhaps of equal concern is the fact that the merger again sent a message to the WMATA employees that safety was not a primary concern of senior management. 9

26 As a result of its loss of staff, its increased responsibility, and its low reporting position, the Safety Department was unable to perform many functions normally handled by a transit system safety department, including data collection, trend analysis, system safety, accident/incident investigations, hazard analysis, and the like. Moreover, it could not provide the proactive services that are required, such as training, auditing, and field inspections. Finally, major functions that are commonly found within a safety department's purview were located in other WMATA departments. The Design and Construction Department (DECO) has its own safety staff that does not interface on a regular basis with the Safety Department. In addition, there is a separate Duality Assurance Department. Safety does not have routine communications with other departments. In fact, communications. generally occur only when an emergency, an accident or incident takes place, or a department requires information concerning a product. The continued undermining of the staff and status of the Safety Department led to a number of shortcomings that have developed over time. Table 2 identifies some areas cited in WMATA's own internal report. Despite the loss of staff and the reactive role that it has been forced to play, employees of WMATA generally support a strong, active Safety Department. As one person stated: "[the] Safety Office should become a proactive partner to the branches, which helps to insinuate a work culture where good safety practices are a desired and integral part of productive work." 10

27 Table 2. Shortcomings in Safety and System Safety at WMATA from: An Organizational Review of Safety Management at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, June 28, No trend analysis on accident statistics No tracking of costs of accidents No safety awards program No guidance of safety training by Safety Department No technical expertise in automatic train control, communications systems, vehicles, and structures No dissemination of new safety information or safety materials No teamwork between safety office and line organizations on reviews and investigations No formal organizational processes to address safety issues No defined hazard identification/resolution process Limited design reviews by safety office No safety oversight of the CIP Construction Program Weak commitment to system safety by top management No coordination with QA function Lack of understanding and acceptance of system safety concepts throughout the organization PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS One crucial means of promoting the concept of safety is through communication, both to employees and the public. While WMATA has made some use of these channels, its scope, range, and efforts have been limited. It has a safety awareness program for school children that uses a mascot, Mr. McGruff, who teaches children about riding Metro safely. In addition, it has used the media and a poster program to alert customers to the proper use of escalators (a frequent source of problems in the past). 11

28 While the agency holds emergency drills and training with local fire departments, it does not publicize these activities. Such publicity could provide the public with some assurance that planning for emergencies is an integral part of WMATA's operations. Internally, there is a lack of attention paid to safety issues. No employee safety committees meet on a regular basis to identify and address safety issues. The Safety Department does not regularly issue any safety notices or bulletins. The employee newspaper, inside Metro, has no regular safety issue feature columns, nor does it publicize lost-time injuries by department (a form of positive competition among departments to reduce injuries), or injury-free departments. At one time, WMATA had a Safety Awards Incentive Program that was administered by the Safety Department. The program recognized employees who made significant safety contributions at the agency. The program was terminated in Many employees interviewed for the internal study stated that it was a worthwhile program that should be reinstituted. The Corporate Culture at WMATA The corporate culture that has existed at WMATA stems, in part, from the background and historical factors discussed above. The areas of primary concern are: the lack of rail transit perspective throughout the organization the lack of understanding of system safety concepts and responsibilities at all levels of the agency the lack of a system of checks and balances to identify and correct problems during ABSENCE OF RAIL OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERIENCE The absence, from the outset, of a strong rail operations perspective at WMATA set a poor foundation for certain aspects of the organization. Such widely respected principles as the primacy of written rules and safety first did not play a role in the agency's operation. In time, their absence became the "tradition" of the agency, ingrained in its corporate culture. 12

29 LACK OF COMMITMENT AND UNDERSTANDING OF SYSTEM SAFETY System safety, as an organization-wide discipline, includes the notion that "safety is everybody's responsibility." This was so remote from the agency's culture, that safety was described as a tool for accelerating desired projects, but to be ignored if it would impede them. Effective system safety practice requires that safety ramifications be examined for every significant agency decision. This is a way of thinking, and for it to be successful, it has to be practiced as part of the culture of the organization. Those raising safety issues cannot be derided or punished or ridiculed, as was alleged at interviews during this study. A FAILURE OF CHECKS AND BALANCES A system of checks and balances serves to ensure that sudden and unexamined actions do not have an adverse impact on an organization's performance, much less its safety. As WMATA implemented a number of questionable policies in the months prior to the January 1996 accident, there was no countervailing force at work in the agency to question these policies and subject them to a proper and disciplined analysis. THE CURRENT CORPORATE CULTURE WMATA's Board has taken important first steps to improve the agency's corporate culture. A new General Manager has been hired who, in turn, has selected capable professionals for the positions of Assistant General Manager for Rail Operations and Director of System Safety. The General Manager has instituted a review of the safety function and a complete revision of the agency's System Safety Program Plan. However, cultural attitudes and problems have a long history. Their correction is a longterm effort and will require continuous attention. 13/14

30

31 III. INTELLIGENCE: KNOWLEDGE BASE, SOURCES OF INFORMATION, AND TRAINING In the context of this report, intelligence is used to mean the gathering and integration of information into the cumulative operational knowledge of WMATA. It incorporates three aspects of the management of that knowledge: the existing base of knowledge at the agency, including rail transit operations expertise the manner in which the agency gains information about its own performance, including the sources of that information and the processes used to acquire it, and the way the agency stays abreast of occurrences and advances in the rail transit industry the manner in which this knowledge is instilled in agency personnel through training The important subjects of how information is communicated and how information is utilized in decision making are covered in the next section of this report (Command, Communication, and Control). The safe, effective operation of any enterprise is highly dependent on the presence and accessibility of large amounts of information. At WMATA, the second largest rail transit system in the country, and one of the most advanced technologically, there are additional needs for a strong knowledge base, timely, accurate updates to that base, and frequent comprehensive reviews of it. The agency combines highly automated operations with manual ones. It has infrastructure that is almost thirty years old connected to new lines currently being placed into service. These system characteristics increase the informational needs of the organization. The importance of these needs is increased further in view of their impact on more than 600,000 daily riders and 6,000 employees. The Knowledge Base Several of the analyses performed as a result of the Shady Grove accident, and some studies performed earlier, indicate that there are deficiencies in the basic rail expertise and experience at WMATA. This review confirms that such deficiencies continue to exist and that they are likely to have contributed to the conditions that led to Shady Grove. 15

32 FINDINGS There is an absence of rail operations perspective throughout the organization. During the study, evidence mounted that conditions, factors, and events were regarded and treated differently at WMATA than they would be at other rail transit agencies. This appears to have its roots in the earliest staffing and organizational decisions made at WMATA. Despite numerous prior indications that this has been a problem, little has been done to foster a strong rail operations perspective. The rail division's strong roots in bus operations have not been adequately supplemented with rail transit expertise. WMATA's rail operations were created in the late 1960s from bus operations that were then serving the Washington metropolitan area. This history has had both benefits and disadvantages. On the one hand, in accordance with the union contract, WMATA's rail division hires operations personnel from a pre-qualified labor pool with better credentials than that available to most transit agencies, namely its own bus operators. WMATA has further enhanced this benefit by offering rail operating positions only to the most capable bus drivers. However, this has been coupled with a history of supervisory appointments, at all levels, of personnel without strong rail operations experience. This lack has deprived the WMATA of a rail transit operations perspective that might have enabled it to recognize and act upon deficiencies that have persisted over much of the life of its rail division. WMATA's book of rules has deficiencies in format and is not what other agencies utilize. Railroads and heavy rail transit agencies require that operating personnel know and conform to a detailed set of rules and regulations contained in the agency's Book of Rules. The staff is required to carry the book with them whenever they are working. They are also responsible for keeping it up to date, by adding all rule changes until a new book is issued. To assure that the book is useable by the staff it is generally restricted to what the operations personnel need to know in the performance of their work. 16

33 While there are many approaches to meeting these needs, this review found WMATA's Book of Rules to have several defects in format, among them, that it is permanently bound, and therefore, not capable of being updated conveniently. It is cumbersome, primarily because it contains procedures, sometimes in excessive detail. It is lengthy and difficult to read. WMATA does not utilize on-time performance as an indicator of system health. On-time performance is a nearly universal indicator of overall rail transit system health. In its place, WMATA has traditionally utilized headways (the interval of time between trains), which, while sound for bus systems where "bunching" is an issue, fails to account for deterioration in running speed and other potential problems on rail systems. Station overruns are regarded as neither a critical issue nor a safety concern. WMATA has some 450 station overruns per year. (A station overrun being defined as at least one door beyond the end of the platform.) In most rail agencies, where trains are under manual operation, station overruns are considered cause for immediate investigation and possible relieving of the train operator. It is common for an agency to dispatch supervisory personnel to meet a train that has experienced a single overrun to verify that the operator is fit for duty and his or her equipment is functioning properly. At agencies where trains are operated under automatic train operation (ATO) similar to WMATA's, the operator's fitness still remains a concern, because he or she has ultimate responsibility for safe train operation. However, because of the dependence on automation, the condition of the equipment becomes a greater concern. At the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), for example, an automated system with considerable similarities to WMATA, this review verified that there are some 15 to 20 overruns per year (with an overrun defined as the head end coming to a stop 36 inches or more beyond the end of the platform). Yet, with overruns exceeding 400 annually and varying in magnitude from one door set to an entire train, WMATA had not undertaken a serious investigation of the problem at the time of the Shady Grove accident. The failure of WMATA to address train overruns as serious system problems runs counter to the practice of experienced rail operators. (This subject is treated in further detail in Section VI.) 17

34 WMATA has failed to hire or develop strong hands-on senior staff. The impact of the lack of rail operations perspective is exacerbated by WMATA's failure to place strong, hands-on rail transit operating personnel in senior management. At the Assistant General Manager level and above the agency has traditionally selected managers as opposed to rail managers. This may be a result of the large bus ridership or of a management philosophy that deems a good manager capable of managing an organization, regardless of its nature. In either case, because there was no pre-existing rail operations expertise, these managers did not have expert subordinates on whom they could rely. And because they themselves lacked a rail operations perspective, they were unaware of the limitations of their staff. This may have created a vacuum that was subsequently filled by staff that was, by temperament and training, unsuited to managing the rail system. General Managers who did have some rail transit experience deferred to a less qualified subordinate on rail operations issues. Because WMATA General Managers themselves tended not to have strong backgrounds in rail transit operations, an inordinate degree of authority and control over such matters became vested in individuals below the level of General Manager. Lacking knowledge of rail transit operations, General Managers were able to exercise no oversight or review of decisions that were made by such individuals. WMATA has not allowed qualified staff to use their expertise or encouraged staff to expand their know/edge. Building on their roots in bus transit, capable line personnel will develop rail expertise on the job. While the knowledge gained in such a manner is likely to be incomplete, much of it can be of considerable value. The train operators at WMATA developed expertise but management was disinclined to respect it or allow it to be exercised. Professional staff were restricted in their ability to expand their knowledge. 18

35 Train operators developed skill at determining when they should operate manually to reduce station overruns and to maintain better control of their trains in inclement weather. According to interviews, this was an almost clandestine activity. It precipitated action by management to monitor and then prohibit its occurrence. At some expense, indicators were added to the Operations Control Center (OCC) control board to show when operators ran manually. Later, in violation of the agency's own operating rules, the operators were forbidden to operate manually without the express consent of the OCC personnel. In at least one case, a manager sought to increase understanding of the functions managed by auditing some of WMATA's training courses. Senior management forbade the practice but the manager persevered. WMATA personnel do not generally attend industry meetings or participate in industry events. Informal interagency communication is an excellent channel for expanding and improving internal views about transit operations. Different agencies face many of the same problems and one system can benefit from the lessons learned by others. At such events, managers in similar positions can discuss these problems and explore their similarities and differences. The merits of technical versus management solutions and the use of internal resources versus external ones can be evaluated. Peer reviews and visits to WMATA from other agencies do not appear to have been productive in this regard, as will be discussed in the next section (Sources of Information). The agency has not understood system safety and its implications, The failure of WMATA to investigate station overruns properly is evidence of a larger. systemic lack of understanding and respect for the system safety function. In a hightechnology agency such as WMATA, numerous sophisticated systems interact, largely without human intervention or monitoring. If a change is made to such a configuration its ramifications cannot be easily identified or understood. In such an environment, the participation of the Safety Department in decision making and review is critical. 19

36 Safety is not regularly mentioned in the job descriptions of senior and middle managers. In rail operating environments "safety is of the first importance in the discharge of duty." This translates into a responsibility of senior and middle management to recognize the importance of safety and to promote it. Furthermore, it is widely regarded in transit agencies that safety is everybody's responsibility. Despite the prevalence of these views in the industry, only two of the management job descriptions provided to this review included any reference to safety. As discussed in Section IV (Command, Communication, and Control), this translates into an absence of safety awareness programs throughout WMATA. WMATA does not regard station overruns as a safety concern. WMATA's failure to understand the implications of its large number of station overruns is discussed above, especially with respect to what it indicates about management's rail operations expertise. The issue reflects WMATA's lack of understanding of system safety as well. At WMATA, station overruns were considered to be a "passenger inconvenience." However, whenever a system is forced to undertake abnormal operations or use a regularly unreliable subsystem, safety is compromised. This direct relationship between reliability and system safety was not widely appreciated at WMATA. The high frequency of station overruns should have led management to identify and seek to cure their causes. The Safety Department does not actively participate in procurement reviews, system integration reviews, and configuration control functions. The Department is regarded as useful to accelerate a program but it is excluded from deliberations where it might interfere with the desired implementation schedule. There are no formal requirements that it participate in reviews. The Safety Department was not involved in the site investigation of the Shady Grove accident. The strongest, most independent and unbiased safety investigations result if an independent safety department plays a key role in accident investigations. At many 20

37 agencies, where the safety department has sufficient operations expertise, it takes the lead in such investigations. Consists (a consist is the set of cars making up a train; pronounced with the accent on the first syllable: CONsist) of untested mixes of cars are operated on the system without safety review or tests of braking distances or other compatibility. WMATA began operating mixed consists of Breda-built and Rohr-built cars without any testing or analysis of the possible safety or train reliability consequences of such operation. While built to the same general specifications, there are significant component differences between the car classes. To assure such a configuration can operate without presenting new hazards, a sound safety program would require extensive nonrevenue tests of train performance and braking, and analysis of test results, before certification of such consists for revenue operation would be sanctioned. There is no evidence that such tests were performed. (It was reported to this review that compatibility problems were actually experienced in revenue service due to differing brake rates between the car classes.) No safety review was performed of the decision to eliminate most supervisory contact with workers reporting for yard duty. Lack of supervisory contact with reporting train operators eliminates the opportunity for face-to-face checks of fitness for duty. Currently, such contact has been removed for train operators assigned to yard duty. This in itself presents a safety problem for agency employees and property. If, as happens on occasion, a yard operator is assigned a revenue train, the potential seriousness is increased. Even though trains are run primarily under automatic control, a thorough safety review would have noted that an operator must have the ability to run the trains manually. This is a direct consequence of the operator's ultimate responsibility for safe train operation. The Safety Department was excluded from participation in some of the agency's major car procurements. In the procurement of new vehicles, whether through an extension of an existing contract, or de novo, it is important that a thorough safety review be performed of the required operating parameters and specifications, so that the procurement documents will conform to system safety requirements. 21